SBIR/STTR Innovation Summit & Defense Innovation in Tampa, October 3-5Learn from and network with SBIR/STTR leaders and program experts on how to gain access to the $2.5 billion of non-diluted annual capital, the largest early stage seed funding in the world.
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It's no secret that the defense sector has been facing declining numbers due to a long laundry list of uncertainties. The new keyword is "affordability". What does that mean for this industry in Pinellas County?

We asked TuckerHall to discuss with existing employers how the recent reductions in federal defense spending have impacted the local industry. This information will guide us as we develop a prioritized list of strategies to effectively assist Pinellas' defense companies so that they can compete, expand and create new jobs.

Pinellas County is home to four major military installations - US Coast Guard Air Station, US Army Reserve MEDEVAC, Florida National Guard 48th WMD CST, Army National Guard 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team – Only miles from MacDill Air Force Base (6th Air Mobility Wing for airlift and refueling) which also hosts U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command.

Pinellas is the largest manufacturing employee base among eight Tampa Bay counties, and is the second largest manufacturing employee base in the State of Florida.

Workforce training is available through Pinellas Technical College and St. Petersburg College, including CNC machining, welding, mechatronics, and supply chain management. Coming soon: the German apprenticeship model.

The United States Coast Guard Air Station at Clearwater is the largest and busiest air station in the Coast Guard.

Contracts Awarded to Employers with a Pinellas County location (2014)

2,074 prime U.S. Dept. of Defense (DoD) contracts

$531.6 million in contracts awarded

36% of the region’s DoD awards

Subcontractor Awards

31 contracts, totalling $ 602,257

74% of the region’s subcontractor awards

Unclassified Test Bed - Pinellas County

National Interest Security Company (NISC) maintains an Unclassified Test Bed (UTB) in St. Petersburg, a type of Research and Development (R&D) lab where new Information Technology (IT) products can be rapidly evaluated, matured, and integrated into existing systems for use by operational forces. The UTB provides an environment for the testing of hardware and software in a laboratory setting.